Tales of Queen and Dragonheart
by Sakamoto Kirumi
Summary: "A collection of stories exploring different scenarios, some will be sad, romantic or comical with lots and lots of Mericcup".
1. A Goodbye

**Disclaimer.**

I don't own the characters appearing on this story, they belong to _Dreamworks_ , _Cressida Coswell_ and _Disney-Pixar_ respectively. I'm not making any profit with this.

 **General Specifications.**

Summary. – _"A collection of stories exploring different scenarios, some will be sad, romantic or comical with lots and lots of Mericcup"._

Rating. – It will be changing from T to M.

Genre. – A lot, but mainly Romance.

Pairing. – **Principal.** Merida DunBroch x Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third (Mericcup).

Alter Universe.

 **Author's Notes.**

Hello everybody, is a nice pleasure to meet you and… if you already knew about me well, how are you doing? :)

This is my first time uploading anything in another language that isn't my native one, so is kind of strange and exciting at the same time… but I couldn't do it without the amazing help of my dear **Scripturiens** –she's an incredible author I love every single one of her stories; who I consider already my beta and editor. She kindly checked my grammar and made the spellcheck, without her this couldn't had been possible at all… so thank you, thank you very much!

So going back to terms, this is my personal archive –kind of a Fanfiction Folder, for all the crazy stuff and ideas that come to my head from my lovely OTP: _Mericcup_. So basically, instead of uploading a lot of different fics, I will have them all in here. The idea wasn't mine, I just take it from one of my favorite author from another fandom and so… here it is.

Some of these stories could or not had a continuation, I will making it clear at the start, so you won't get confuse or anything.

That been said, I'll invite you to read and I hope this will be good enough for all of you, who share my love for Mericcup –I'm still wishing my pray for a movie with these two on it, can come true someday.

Enjoy the reading.

* * *

 _First Story:_

 **Plot. –** The first part of a Guardians AU, with Hiccup as the Autumn Spirit and Merida as the Summer Spirit. The rest you will figure it out soon.

 **Inspirational Song. –** _Monster_ by _Imagine Dragons_.

* * *

 _ **A Goodbye…**_

 _ **.**_

"Don't ye dare…!"

There was no need for him to turn around. He didn't have to see her, already imagining the look on her face. He knew with a perfect accuracy the expressions that accompanied the words laced with that thick accent. He had, after all, seen it thousands of times before. That and the sound of her string tensed from her bow, with an arrow or two at the ready, pointed straight at him.

That wasn't new either; it had occurred over and over for the past few weeks.

Whenever they'd been together, it would always come to this and of course...

"Why would ye do this? Why?!" she demanded, screaming with a teary, broken voice.

As usual, he remained silent, turning her back to her. He could hear her sniffling, trying to suppress any tears from escaping her cerulean blues.

Even now, she wanted to be the fiery, brave woman. The woman he loved.

He breathed hard, taking one step forward, eyes fixed on the ground beneath him. An arrow flew past his right shoulder, lodged deep into some tree far beyond.

"Don't ye move, ye... ye're not going anywhere! Ye understand lad!?" She was furious, desperate, heartbroken, confused. Notching another arrow, determined to make him stay at all cost, trying in vain to close the distance that had grown between them.

But he still move, getting away from her. There was the unbearable desire of turning around to embrace her with all his strength, burying his fingers in those soft red curls...

 _No, you can't… we... can't_ he reprimand himself, hurrying his steps. She still chased after him, not so far from the creak of his metal prosthetic, breaking through the night that was coming to an end. Reminding him, that time was closing up and he had to be as far away from her. Because that's how things are, that's what the Moon told him.

" _You can no longer stay here, with the others…"_

He started to run.

" _You can no longer be near to them,"_

"Stop! Stop please!"

" _You can no longer be by her side."_

He suspected that, but he tried so hard to deny the unchangeable truth.

" _You were touched with the dark sand, you and your companion, both had been corrupted."_

She was moving faster, screaming for him, calling his name with a force much painful than ever.

 _"Slowly without you even notice, the sand will spread through every corner of your body, and eventually to the doorsteps of your heart..."_

He gasped for air, feeling the heavy beats on his chest, tightening with every passing second, with every call, every step closer to the edge of the forest.

" _Once then, there's no turning back, no salvation..."_

There it was, the sound of the waves crashing against the rocky cliff.

" _ **He**_ _will find you."_

Desperate, he raised his hand at level with his mouth.

" _ **He**_ _will get to you."_

Just a whistle and Toothless will come. Just a whistle, and together they will soar through the skies.

" _ **He**_ _will swallow your soul..."_

Leaving her behind.

" _And you'll turn into a_ _ **monster**_ _, a Fearling."_

He was going to do it, he need to...

"HICCUP!"

It stopped.

His breath, his heart, his legs, his brain, his hand, everything stopped. The mere instant she cried his name and grabbed his arm with all her might and fierce will. Digging her nails into his skin, beneath the leather armor. She caught him. She reached him. The bow and the arrows left behind, forgotten.

"P-please... please... please... d-don't go, please... Hiccup I…" her voice was fading, breaking in painful sobs. And he could no longer avoid looking into her eyes.

The wild red mane, bright as dragon fire, wrapped around her tired, with a trembling body as she stared at him, hard, with big, wide, blue eyes. There was panic written all over her tear-streaked face.

"I... just... just can't... I want ye... I need ye…"

It seemed to him, under the dim light of the rising sun, that she was going to break into little pieces.

He had to do something.

This was his fault, there was no one else to blame, if he had restrained himself from looking at her in the shadows, none of this would have happened. But his stupid heart had betrayed him.

 _I had to do something…_ he thought trying to take control of the situation, his own emotions, and feelings.

"Meri…" he began.

"I love ye!" escaped from her lips, "I...! I'm in love with ye!"

Those words…

"An' I know my stubbornness sometimes is... an' tha' sometimes I say stupid and cruel things to ye... tha' my temper hurts ye... that I'd been mean with you… but!" she did not release his arm.

All those words…

"I'm not lying... I love ye Hiccup, I love ye more than anything!"

A throb and it made his heart beat out of control, trying to escape from his ribcage.

How many times had he imagined those words? How many nights had he dreamed about her saying them?

"Hiccup, please, don't leave me... don't go…"

The green melted in blue, and the blue bright in green. For a brief moment, there were just them.

"Mer... I…" he whispered, his body leaning to hers, cutting the distance between her lips, her love...

And he felt it, a sharp twinge passing through his neck, tightening his chest.

He tried to pull apart, shutting his eyes in pain, but her grasp was firm on him.

"Hiccup?"

Subconsciously, he squeezes one hand in a fist while the other was raised at level with his heart, where the pain was much stronger. And he knew it was the black sand.

"What's wrong?"

He could hear his humming laugh, in the back of his head.

"Hiccup?" She was worried, scared.

Because she didn't know, she didn't know that when she and Toothless were captured by their enemy, when he was rescuing them, he was touched by a dark horse of sand.

Toothless, sharing the same life as he went corrupted too. Having to take the burden alongside him, because there wasn't a cure from it. They were doomed and everyone knew except her. Nobody told her, not even him. That's why since he left under the Moon commands; she'd been hunting for him, searching for an explanation that he couldn't give.

 _She doesn't know, and it will stay like that…_ he had decided, and he would make sure of it, even if it mean harming her.

Breathing deeply, he shook his arm from her, with all his strength, like it was poison. Concealing deep inside the hurt of rejecting her.

"Don't look for me…" he said in a serious dead tone "I don't want you anymore."

"But Hiccup! I…"

"Don't you understand, Merida?" He looked straight in her eyes "I can't _stand_ you; you're still the stupid and selfish child who killed her mother with a spell-,"

The cold words were like stabs to her heart, he knew because he was using the things that she had confessed to him, the secrets he swore to keep. Looking the sadness in her eyes was killing him, too.

But he had to continue. He had to keep _lying_.

"Toothless almost die because of you and your stubbornness… no, your stupidity, believing that _you_ were capable of defeating Pitch Black all by yourself!"

She was crying again, as the words sink in the cold air between them.

"No... I... just... I didn't think…"

"Yeah, that's the problem with you; you never think... in fact you _believed_ that I would go back if you said that you _love_ me-"

Each word he spat with a disgusting smile.

"Of course, what could go wrong? Since, from the beginning, poor little Hiccup had been chasing after you, giving all his feelings just to had them crushed by you again, and again"

"N-no…" She started to shake. She believed in his lies.

"Well, I have bad news for you, Merida…"

The dawn was at its climax, in a shining game of colors, the light playing with the tears in her cheeks. He took a step back, near the cliff. And said his last weapon against her…

"I _hate_ you, I despise you."

A sob escaped from her mouth at the same time, he called for Toothless. He stirred up his prosthetic to the mechanism, climbed on the saddle, looking at her for the last time. The wild, red curls, the sad blue eyes, the figure that fell to her knees, embracing her shaking self, knowing that she had lost everything.

"If you look for me again, I swear, I'll _kill_ you."

And with that, he took to the skies. His best friend, staring at him with sorrowful eyes.

 _I'm sorry... I'm so sorry…_ he thought, hiding in the clouds, suppressing a scream of pain as it shook him down to his soul.

This, all this wasn't fair.

.

.

.

.

 _ **To continue…**_

* * *

 **Author's Note.**

Love it? Hate it? Please let me know your opinion… how? Well of course with a review! I will truly appreciate it ;)

And by the way I kind of apologize for Merida's accent, I'm not so sure it went well… so… yup, if you can help me with that I will be really grateful.


	2. Among potions, spells and incantations

**Disclaimer.**

I don't own the characters appearing on this story; they belong to _Dreamworks_ , _Cressida Coswell_ , and _Disney-Pixar_ respectively. I'm not making any profit with this.

 **General Specifications.**

Summary. — _"A collection of stories exploring different ideas, sad, romantic and some comical scenarios with lots and lots of Mericcup"._

Rating. — It will be changing from T to M.

Genre. — A lot, but mainly Romance.

Pairing. — **Principal.** Merida DunBroch x Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third (Mericcup).

Alter Universe.

 **Author's Note.**

Whoa! I'm so, so, so happy that you liked the first story! Believe me, 'cause when I saw the reviews, favorites and follows I started to make my victory dance over and over again —my family look at me once and then just shrugged now use to my weird behavior. Thanks to you all, including the occasionally-invisible reader!

Hope you will enjoy this one too. It's a little bit sad and melancholic, but I had it written on my cell phone notes for almost three months and I wanted to give it a try. For the editing and grammar, I couldn't contact my dear **Scripturiens** (Beta) but I used instead, some online editors, translators, and etcetera. So I apologize beforehand if there's some mistake.

Ah, before I forgot, I write the same accent as before for Merida and since no one told me it was bad…. I'll assume that I did it right (?).

Enjoy the reading.

* * *

 _Second Story:_

 **Plot.** — Hogwarts AU, his is a Ravenclaw brain and hers a Gryffindor heart.

Hiccup only saw in Merida his dearest best friend since they were in first year… that the redheaded knew it very well. This is the tale of a one-side love.

 **Inspirational Song.** — _恋するハチ_ from _NANA Original Soundtrack_.

* * *

 _ **Among potions, spells and incantations there is my secret**_

 _ **.**_

The sun was shining brightly in the perfectly blue sky. It was a beautiful day, one of those you can be outside, sitting on the grass, near the Black Lake. Not inside the castle.

So, why Merida DunBroch was on the empty library when everyone else were having fun behind the window? She wasn't the kind of person you'll see indoors with such a perfect weather, and less been at the library, surrounded by bookshelves, empty tables, and absolute silence.

She frowned, a pout in her mouth, eyes fixed on the window staring at a group of second years laughing while playing with the Giant Squid under the sun.

 _Really, why I'm here?_ She thought, burying her face in her crossed arms, on top of the table.

The large oak doors made a loud sound, announcing the new entrance of some student into the library.

"I'm so sorry Mer… I tried… but then Snoutlout appear on the corridors and he dragged me… then it was all strange… I was practically…"

Oh, yes. Now she remembered it. It was because of _him_.

She pulled her eyes from the window and turned her gaze to the exhausted newcomer with the endless apologies not making any sense. And she couldn't stop the smile that crosses her face.

"Hello, Hiccup..."

He stops the track of his words and scratching the back of his head formed an embarrassed grin.

"Hi, Merida..."

Inside her chest, her heart beat fast like a drum, while a tingling feeling appeared in the lower part of her stomach. The usual symptoms.

He clears his throat and walking in her direction drop a pair of thick books onto the table, taking a seat in the chair across her.

"Snoutlout, huh?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah… he wanted me to change my essay of history with him, saying that: they won't ever figure it out"

Once again, he rolled his eyes at his comment, and she just giggle for the stupidity of his so annoying cousin.

"So…" he started giving his total attention with bright green eyes, eyes that reminded her of the woods that she loved so much "which part of potions you didn't get?"

"Everything…?" she said unsure of the subject and smiling made a gesture for him to give her the potions book while trying to refrain all the emotions that always appear whenever he's around.

He understood right away, and picked up a book from the pile, giving it to her. But when he did, their fingers rushed and she pulled her hand quickly snatching the item in the process.

She was self-conscious of her flushing cheeks.

He blinked twice before smiling, with his signature toothy goofy grin. Looking the other way, Merida opened the book and started turning the pages one by one, on an attempt to stay calm again.

Her feelings for him made her irritated and happy at the same time. A weird combination but this was how things were.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, with a shaggy brown hair, freckles all over his face, green curious eyes, and skinny frame —no matter how work out he got last summer, was the boy she was in love.

She loves him; she loves every single part of him since 5th year.

They had met on their first day at Hogwarts when he was a victim of Jack Frost's pranks in the corridor of the train. He was a little thing on the ground, suppressing the tears while brushing his noodles arms on his robe, in an effort to get rid of a blue sticky paint.

She _saved_ _him_ and after that, they became friends, the best friends that have ever existed before.

Merida raised her head a little, covering her eyes with some rebel red curls of her hair.

Hiccup was at ease, looking through the window from time to time, his hand with a charcoal moving slowly over an old sketchbook, probably drawing something again.

She bites her lips and fixed her eyes on the instructions to make an advanced potion.

Sometimes she would let herself wish that her feelings had never occurred, only a friendship kind of liking.

It was around 4th year, he got himself caught up in a big mess that involved a black dragon, a mother queen dragon, and him losing a limb. And everything changed.

He was no more _Hiccup the Useless_ , people started to call him _Dragon Conqueror_ —even when he hated that name, it didn't matter he was a dragon rider, a hero of the school.

She has always known that he was amazing; she was his best friend after all.

 _You're still his best friend, remember?_ Reminded the little voice on the back of her head. And she couldn't restrain the words in her mouth.

"How is... Astrid?" she asked cursing herself for bringing _that person_ to their none conversation.

She saw him stir a little; hands stopped the drawing, awkward smile on his lips and a slight flush on his cheeks.

It was painful.

She tried to blink back the tears.

"S-she… she's fine…" he said nervous between mumbles and clear his throat repeatedly "I m-mean… you're at the same house… y-you should know… right?"

Hiccup was right. They were both on Gryffindor House, but the redheaded never talked to her, if she could avoid it because Astrid Hofferson was _his girlfriend_.

Since the girl kisses him on the lips in 4th year, after the principal's speech, they've been together. And that day, that moment something inside of Merida, didn't felt right. She didn't like her, it was an automatic reaction from her.

So in the 5th year, they were an official couple, and, of course, they'd to be together every single minute of the day. It was tiring for the red-headed. She couldn't talk to him or be with him because Astrid will always be there holding his hand.

She was frustrated, angry and deep inside she was just hurt. Without been able to quite understand what was happening to her, she started to avoid him in the hallways, foods, meeting with friends, it didn't matter, whenever she got a glimpse of him, she will run away at high speed in the other direction.

Beyond anything else, all she wanted was to be with his best friend, but she couldn't.

In the end her hot-headed personality got the better of her, and she got to the conclusion that everything that was occurring was because of Astrid Hofferson, it was _her fault_.

And one day, one hateful day, Hiccup got tired of been avoided, of not been able to talk with her like they used to. With a strong resolution, he confronted her on an empty hallway just minutes after she had eaten her dinner.

She wasn't prepared for that. And as expected, it didn't go well.

For the first time in their relationship they fought. Their bad tempers at full rage, screaming cruel words at each other; ending the mere instant Hiccup —with a frown on his face, snapped at her his last hurtful thought.

" _Then I don't want to be friends with you anymore, henceforth you'll be a stranger to me."_

And without saying anything more, he turned his back on her and walked away. Then she felt it, a twinge inside her chest, a painful throb and the tears flowing from her eyes.

She cried that night, the next one, and the others that followed. She had lost her best friend, the only person in the world who was there for her, who let her be herself and didn't have to pretend, with whom she felt free; gone.

Eventually with some help of her dearest friend Rapunzel, she figured it out. Finally she understood the truth behind her actions, behind the pain. All the angry, frustrated feelings were nothing more than jealousy.

She was jealous because she was in love with Hiccup.

That year was painful because they weren't friends, they didn't talk to the other, and they didn't share anything with the other.

But then it came the 6th year, and after an incident of Merida escaping from an arranged marriage, having a fight with her mom, and deal with some sort of a demon bear. He, the boy that she yelled at, _helped_ her.

Hiccup approached to her with a sad look on his face, saying that he had missed her and the days when they were friends. He told that whatever troubles her, he would be there for her.

She couldn't restrain herself anymore, and without pronouncing a single word, she throw herself into his arms, embracing him as if life depended on it, like it was a dream and he could disappear in any minute. He just held his friend tight, while she cried.

Now, they're at 7th year, their time in Hogwarts was going to an end.

She stops her hands in the middle of the flipping pages from the potion book. Once again, looking at him with a thoughtful stare.

He notices it and concern cross over his forest green eyes.

"Mer, is something wrong?"

Her time with Hiccup was fading, so _easily_ , and she couldn't stop it.

This was the whole reason of why she was in the library on a beautiful sunny day.

They didn't share a lot of classes, and if they do he'll put himself with Astrid as a working partner. At breaks they'll be with the rest of their group of friends, so the little amount of time for them to be alone had come to this.

Just to be with him, to have all his attention in her selfish way, she will invent some poor excuse about not understanding the subject of a class or not knowing how to do this and that assignment.

All lies.

"Merida…?"

She lean herself much closer to him, putting a concentrated face. He started to fumble with his hands, looking at his side obviously uncomfortable.

"W-what…?"

"Ye really have a big nose, wee lad"

His cheeks flushed in crimson red, a frown on his face for mere seconds before he smirks at the redhead. Something inside of her, just tremble because of that smile.

"Yeah? Well, you can't talk much… with... I don't know how to call it, I mean that thick bush upon your head is supposed to be _hair_?"

She could only gasp, before they stare at each other for long minutes, not breaking eye contact until a smile split their faces in half.

Soon enough a hysterical laugh erupted from both of them, and not so long they got a reprimand from Madame Pince at the other side of the room. And even then, while futile trying to refrain any kind of sound from their mouths; she did something that she hadn't done in a very long time.

She snorted, and utterly surprised with the fact, she covers her mouth with both hands, stopping them from the start. Tough, it was too late.

"I can't believe it! You still do it!" he says with a sparkle on his eyes

She averted her eyes, playing dumb. Truth is that, as much it was a stupid thing of her part, she was kind of embarrassed, and she knew it was because Hiccup was the one who heard it, if had been someone else she wouldn't mind.

"Do what?"

"You snorted"

"Ah' don't do that…" was her reply with the characteristic stubborn tone

"Yes, you did Mer" there was a big green on his lips

"I didn't…" the redheaded was determined to refuse again, but one glimpse at the amuse expression wrote all over his face and she felt defeated.

Oh, how much she hated this.

 _Stupid romantic feelings_ Merida thought to herself a little bit irritated.

But it was known that Merida DunBroch was as stubborn as a mule, and she wouldn't give him the victory just like that, paying no mind at how much she wanted to kiss those lips smirking at her… _Stop! Stop, stop it!_

Raising one hand as a fist, she glares at him in a threatening manner that could even scare the bravest one in the Gryffindor house.

"So what if Ah' snorted? Have ye a problem? Huh?"

Yes, she was intimidating, but apparently not enough to take this guy down because he started to laugh, rising both of his hands in surrender.

Madame Pince once again ordered them to be in silence.

"Nope, no problem here, is just…" he say when his breath was much calmer, and then his eyes fell to the table, hiding beneath his shaggy hair "is nice, hearing it again-"

Slowly she became still, the threat long forgotten now. As easily as breathing, she saw it, the guilt resting on his shoulders.

"It has been a long time since I hear one of your snorts… I think, they're one of the pretty things about you…"

Her heart started to pound at high speed in her chest while her entire face flushed in a violent crimson red almost rivaling with her curly mane. Eyes wide open, like two perfect plates.

Hiccup notice it and thought about the words he just used, then smile again putting one hand behind his head. After that, he just laughs in a quiet voice.

"What kind of face is that Mer?"

More embarrassment, frustration and happiness assaulted her at the same time. His laughing was music to her ears.

She wanted to tell him, she really wanted to tell him about her feelings, about everything. But words have never been her strong point; she wasn't good with them, almost like they just dislike her and enjoy watching her suffering. It was so simple, just three words that would always pile up on her throat.

Merida looked at him straight in the eye, the determined expression interrupting his laugh and attracting his full attention towards her; still smiling at her, in the way that he could only do.

Her heart was going to kill her, her feelings too if they keep making it drum faster and faster like that.

 _Ah just need to say it, just say it!_ She told herself for a hundred times _it's not so complicated!_

She opens and closes her mouth repeatedly. In her mind, rehearsing the speech she had practiced for almost two years. _There's something Ah' need to tell you…_

"There's s-something Ah' n-need to tell ye…" she couldn't believe she is actually hearing the sound of her voice.

"Okay…" he encouraged, not so sure of what's happening "what is it?"

 _All this time, Ah've been in love with ye… Ah' love ye…_ the words stuck in her head, finally she was going to say them…

"All this time, Ah've been…" she cleared her throat, looking straight to those green eyes she like so much "Ah've been… wondering what're ye going to do after we graduate"

Or not.

She felt disappointed at herself while looking the perplexed expression on Hiccup's face. Not quite understanding the prelude to that final question… if it was a question at all.

"Well, I'm planning to study dragons in Romania and later work with them in Berk" he said smiling sweetly at her. Not hesitating for one second.

Somehow she knew of his answer and try relaxing herself a little after her failed intent for a confession.

"In other words, ye're going with Toothless"

"Is it too obvious?"

"Yeah, a little… but Ah' know ye too well wee lad"

He laughs in a soft way, and the red-head couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"Well, send him my regards and love…" she said in a funny tone, like some aristocratically character.

"Yes I will, but you can visit us some day you know? He'll like that… and me too"

 _Ugh… Ah'm so stupid…_ she thought, feeling her heart fluttering at his words and some tears pinching at the corners of her eyes.

"Ah'll have it in mind…" her eyes looked at the window distantly "Astrid she… is she going with ye?"

Some silence.

"No… she'll present the Auror examination" he answered and she looked again at him, there was a serene expression on his features that try —in vain, to hide some sadness.

She gulped, and thought about something to cheer him up; at least just a little bit. It was their only time together after all.

"Ah heard Jack is going to play quidditch with The Guardians… he received a letter after the last match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff"

"Yes, he told me about it and says something about not been surprised at all 'cause… quote: _he was the best Quidditch Captain ever_ " he smiled a little, and that was something for her.

"Ugh, he's such a prick that snowflake… Ah'm a better Captain than he would ever be" she said with a false scowl while flipping the pages once again.

He didn't say anything in respond. But Merida continues with the conversation, trying to make it flow through all the minutes they shared.

"And Punze told me she is going to apply for Stm. Mungo? Think it suits her don…"

"Merida, what're _you_ going to do?" he asked interrupting in the middle of her sentence. She was taken aback with the question. The dreaded question she had been avoiding since the year started.

For short seconds, she was considering skipping the question and changing the subject but she was certainly sure that he wasn't letting it go just like that, and covering her face with her red curls she release a sigh.

"Ah don't know…" she mumbled softly almost like a whisper.

But Merida knew he heard it, as silence took over them like a thick blanket.

She was in 7th year, and she didn't know what she was going to do with her life. It was kind of ridiculous. Even the principal, Professor Longbottom dated her to his office so they could talk about it last week.

But it hasn't always been like that. In the 3rd year, she used to dream that she became an Auror, have adventures and fight against the dark forces just like Harry Potter did. And later, after she had been through against dragons and demon bears, that dream evaporated.

Though it wasn't like she didn't have options.

"Why don't you play quidditch? You're really good, and I don't think you'll have a problem with that…" he said bringing out loud her first option.

The redheaded looked the other way.

"Yeah… Ah thought that"

"But?"

"Ah'm not like Frost, flying… flying is something Ah love, Ah just can't think of turning it into a job… when Ah'm up there, it feels like Ah had no worries at all"

When she was in the air, above the clouds, with the wind against her face, she could truly be herself, with no pretending. She was _free_.

"Well, I kind of know what you mean…" he said probably remembering the first time he soars the skies with his dragon companion. Then he closes the sketchbook.

"What does your mother say?"

Merida frowns a little, still refusing to look at him.

There it was the second option. And she couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with it.

"She said that whatever Ah choose, she'll support me… but if Ah'm still confused she can find me a place in the ministry"

Her mother, Lady Elinor Countess of DunBroch, was a remarkable witch who works as an international ambassador between the magic world and the muggle world in the Ministry of Magic. She had been awarded for her contributions to the magic world and was Prefect same as Annual Price at Hogwarts. Besides that, she became an animagus in her 4th year of study.

"Then…?"

"No, Ah can't work there"

She was _never_ going to fill that. No matter how hard she try, she'll never be as great as her mother. She could never escape from her shadow if she chooses that option.

"I see…" he said softly, probably guessing all her inner doubts "and what is the third option?"

She blinked, and stares warily at him.

"How do ye know there's a _third option_?"

He snickered.

"Because is written all over your face…" he answered smugly and when she opens her mouth with the intention of retorts his affirmation "and besides everything that happen before… I'm your best friend, I know you pretty well"

She remained silent, trying to cover the agitated sadness that came with his words, still amazed with his perceptive brain.

"So, what is the third one?"

"Dad offer me the inheritance of his lands and titles… so Ah could live like Lady Merida Countess of DunBroch, in the muggle world"

He looked bewildered, his eyes fully open.

"Wow, that's… that's really… _Honorable_?"

She moans burying her face in the potion book, her hair falling like an orange curtain covering her inside it.

"Yes, but then… Ah wouldn't be able to use magic freely or do the things Ah like and Ah'll have to attend pompous celebrations, boring lessons and…"

"And…?"

"Ah'll have to get marry…" she whispered.

 _To someone that Ah'm not in love with…_ she ends the sentence in her mind when the annoying voice speaks its venom, reminding her situation _though the only lad ye love doesn't love ye back_.

All the while, Hiccup remains silent and she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"Ah want to be like ye lot… and not been so unsure of my future" she whispered more to herself than him.

Seconds pass by, and all that could be heard was the voices of the students outside, enjoying the sunny day without a care in the world.

Then she felt a sudden warming touch her hand and spread through her whole body. Long fingers caressing her skin tenderly was the first thing Merida seen when she raised her head.

Her heart stammers on her chest, just at the mere action of Hiccup holding her hand on top of the table.

"It's going to be fine" he said getting her attention "I'm sure that everything will be alright"

 _Why had he said that?_ She couldn't comprehend.

"How…?" she asked with a broken voice not at all like her " _how_ can ye be sure?"

The hold in her hand went stronger and firm, reassuring her disbelieving words, his smile much bigger than before.

"Because we are talking about _you_ Merida…" he explained with a soothing and serious tone "you're the most incredible person that I know, and you've _never_ done things like the rest, you have your _own_ special way… So I'm certain that in your own time you'll figure it out, and whatever is your choice it's going to be something that will catch the world's eyes-"

"And I'll try to be there just to see it happen, so then I could say —not surprise at all: _I told you so_ … You and Toothless are my best friends in the whole world which is why I'm so convinced, I mean... you defeated a legendary demon bear! After that, you can do _anything_ "

Merida was speechless, not knowing precisely what to say. The green forest eyes were honest, Hiccup wasn't lying, and he truly believes _each and every_ word he had told.

 _Damn…_ she cursed in her mind, now all she just wanted to cry but instead…

"Thank ye Hic"

She felt her cheeks warm up and her lips curving into a smile, a genuine and grateful smile. He laughed and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it.

The little butterflies fluttering in her stomach, the heart drumming at high speed, the happiness running through her veins, erasing all the bad emotions and thoughts from her system; and then Merida knew that —with only those words, the brave Gryffindor had fallen in love with the witty Ravenclaw all over again.

"Now…! We better get back to work" he said excitedly with his trademark smile, the one showing the crooked teeth "and since we'd lost a lot of time… give me your parchment and I'll see what we can do so we can _actually_ enjoy the day, since I know how much of a torture is for you to be inside the castle"

She suppress a laugh and instead, made a scowl at his words. Pretending to be upset _and_ offended by his comment.

"Geez, such a weird wee lad… all excited with something like homework and paperwork…" she responds with a mocking voice, giving him the potions book and the parchment he requested.

Deep inside she was truly happy after hear him say that they were going to be _together_ outside.

 _Ah'm such a silly lass…_ she thought almost resigned to her role as a "girl in love" of his best friend, her dorkish best friend.

Maybe he was right. Probably one day, Merida will get to know what to do with her life. She'll work for it, and as the days pass by, eventually she would be able to meet someone; perhaps she would fall in love with that person and who knows, get marry and form a family.

One day, all those feelings about Hiccup will melt away and she'll finally see him as her dearest friend and most important person in her life. Everything would be just a good and tender memory to remember.

And that would be _fine_.

Her blue eyes glowed as she watched him, while detailing each of the freckles covering his skin, the factions and the gestures he did. Recording at the bottom of her mind Hiccup's silhouette, under the light from the window; smiling, talking and sharing with her surrounded by books, shelves, empty tables and the occasional particle of dust floating in the air.

 _Yes, one day all of that will happen and this image of him, wouldn't mean the same for me…_ she concluded during those few minutes of contemplation.

But right now, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow while she is still the silly lassie, she'll spend more time together and will love him with all her heart.

Treasuring her precious feelings.

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 **The end**

* * *

 **Author's Note.**

This may or may not have a second part… what do you think? Do you like it? Do you hate it? Let me know with a review, you know that's the bread of every day for a writer :)

My special thanks to: **cjupsher** , **Guest** (is it an indiscration of mine to ask for a name to call you?) and **TwinkleToesxoxo** for your reviews, I was really happy when I read them. Thanks, thanks.

Finally because I couldn't resist temptation, a brief look of the next story...

 _._

 _Third Story_

— _**Astrid's Boy**_ —

 **.**

 _Perhaps it was the crazy mood, the three glasses he had been drinking —courtesy of his never failing friend Jack; or how the already thick accent of hers mixed with the liquor made her words slurry and quite difficult to understand._

Or just the combination of the three _he said to himself. But for a moment there, he heard her say his —since one hundred and sixty-eight hours, ex-girlfriend's name?_

 _Yep, he would definitely have to have a hearing test._

 _But then again, she sang the same catchy phrase of the 80's hit song, the same phrase he thought heard wrong and he fails to know what to do with the intensity that her blue eyes transmit from the makeshift stage..._

 _._

Ah, I almost forgot... if you have any questions or just want to chat a little on my profile there's my Tumblr and Twitter account ;) or you can just send me a PM. Tough I'm still learning to use the social networks (technologie had always reject me somehow), I've seen a lot of my fav authors do this so I wanted to givi it a try...

Until next time!


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